Agriculture, Water and Land Reform minister Calle Schlettwein held a demonstration of new agriculture equipment and machinery on Saturday at Ohakweenyanga village in the Oshana region.  

The project has two key sub-components, namely agricultural mechanisation and certified seed systems’ improvement. The Namibia Agricultural Mechanisation and Seed Improvement Project (NAMSIP)’s focus on agricultural mechanisation and seed system improvement directly responds to NDP5 and HPP I and II, which aim at structural transformation through increased agricultural production and productivity.

The equipment is affordable and easy to use, and does not require skilled people.

They can be rented for N$20 per day, and it is only four days maximum per house. They are available in Oshana, Kunene North, Ohangwena, Omusati, Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, Kavango East, Kavango West and Zambezi, respectively.

Schlettwein said the development goal of this project is to improve household food security and contribute to poverty reduction, while the specific objectives are to enhance agricultural productivity in order to reduce the annual importation of staple foods, cereal crops, facilitate job creation as well as enhance household incomes to improve the livelihoods of rural people.

The minister noted that the agricultural mechanisation component of the project will enable farmers to complete farming operations much faster and more efficiently, especially in the crop production regions where rain-fed farming is practised. In addition, it will also help increase productivity and reduce the cost of cultivation while being vital to ensure the timely availability and accessibility of quality certified seed by farmers.

“In order to assist the farmers and achieve these objectives, the ministry, through NAMSIP, has procured different agricultural equipment such as jab seed drillers; hand-operated weeding cultivators; hand-operated seedling transplanters; and knapsack sprayers, among others,” he stated.

 The equipment will be available at all agricultural development centres in all regions, and farmers will borrow these equipment at a minimal fee, with the exception of the knapsack sprayers. 

“Knapsack sprayers will only be used by ministerial staff to control pests and diseases in farmers’ fields in the event of any outbreak.”

Schlettwein said the ministry has ensured that equipment procured is gender-sensitive, and can thus be used by both men and women.

“I, therefore, urge all farmers to use the equipment with care and a sense of ownership, taking into consideration that other farmers will need to use them”, he urged.

Also speaking at the event, Oshana governor Elia Irimari thanked the ministry of agriculture for undertaking this field demo, and specifically for continuing to build agricultural mechanisation capacity in the Oshana region.

Irimari said through NAMSIP, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform is working hard to improve household food security in the country.

The governor noted that this programme is not just to improve food and nutrition security, but also to create jobs, improve household incomes and the lives of rural people through increased agricultural production and productivity.

“Enhanced agricultural production and productivity is central to our efforts in achieving sustainable economic growth, as well as in building inclusive and dignified livelihoods for our people. 

The ministry is committed to transforming the agricultural sector, especially addressing water and food security,” Irimari added.

“I encourage the farmers and all stakeholders to support the ministry in the journey of achieving food security in Namibia, and the farmers to make use of the subsidised services on machinery and farming inputs that government provides.”

Letisia Kashinduka from Elombo village said they are happy about the good work done by the agriculture ministry, and this will enable them to work very hard to ensure they are harvesting more crops.

“The equipment is affordable, and even people with low incomes can afford them. We are very grateful for this opportunity,” she beamed, and encouraged her fellow small-scale farmers to work hard in their fields.